Vent Fields

Welcome to the InterRidge Global Database of Active Submarine Hydrothermal Vent Fields (the “InterRidge Vents Database”).
To sort the list of Vent Fields, click on a column header.
To view details for a specific Vent Field, click on the Name ID.
To view the subset of Vent Fields that contain a specific category, click on the category (for example, "active, confirmed" in the "Activity" column).

Vent Field Name ID Activity Tectonic Settingsort ascending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
EPR/Tamayo intersection active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 22.9333 -108.0667 3200 1979 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
Main Endeavour Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9487 -129.0981 2220 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only
SEIR-WXC07 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.2500 138.3000 2420 2015 plume only
MESO Zone inactive mid-ocean ridge CIR -23.3927 69.2422 2850 1993 TV grab and water column measurements
Gakkel Ridge, Site 8 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 86.5333 69.0000 3500 2001 plume only
SWIR, Plume 5 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -27.9170 64.4500 4000 1997 plume only
EPR, 11 18'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -11.3000 -110.5300 2650 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin
Knipovich Ridge, 75 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Knipovich Ridge 74.8000 8.4417 3185 2000 plume only
Discovery Deep active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Red Sea 21.2830 38.0500 2100 1965 "confirmed" hot brine and cored seafloor, but see Table 1 in Miller et al. (1966) for historical measurements
Area EX/FX active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -21.4000 68.7666 3300 1986 plume and sediments
GEISEIR site 27, segment M5 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -43.9805 93.4571 2700 2009 plume only
GEISEIR site 12, segment K4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -42.6600 83.0366 2600 2010 plume only
Jade Emperor Mountain inactive mid-ocean ridge SWIR -37.9400 49.2600 1500 2010 video sled, plume survey, and geological sampling all suggest inactive
MAR, 19 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -19.3301 -11.9421 2707 2013 plume only
EPR, 14 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -13.9667 -112.4667 2635 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500
EPR, 23 50'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.8233 -115.4558 2650 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity
Troll Wall active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 71.2833 -5.7667 550 2005 ROV BIODEEP-05 cruise
EPR, 17 34'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.5667 -113.2333 2600 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1996 Argo II towed video
MAR, 25 50'N inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 25.8083 -44.9833 3000 NotProvided
GEISEIR site 38, segment O4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -48.0048 98.8232 2800 2009 plume only
Aden active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Aden Ridge 11.9500 43.6667 1600 1984 submersible Cyana
GEISEIR site 5, segment K1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.2420 81.1580 2860 1996 plume only; 2007 plume only
EPR, 3.9 N offset active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 3.9170 -102.2330 2875 1989 or earlier Deep Tow photographs (cruise RIFTS or PAPATUA)
EPR, 9 47'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.7750 -104.2802 2560 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin
Loki's Castle active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 73.5500 8.1500 2400 2008 ROV Bathysaurus
W Los Huellos Caldera active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.0000 -90.6000 1600 2005 plume only
Area JX active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -22.9666 69.1833 3500 1986 plume only (camera tow did not confirm)
EPR, 2 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -2.2200 -102.6550 2900 2008 towed video and AUV ABE
Tempus Fugit active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.7683 -85.9100 2560 2011 ROV Little Hercules
SWIR, D50B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -52.4200 12.7480 3913 2000-2001 plume and dredge only

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